District reveals concepts for Clinton fire station
Published 1:30 am Friday, July 31, 2026
South Whidbey Fire/EMS unveiled early concepts this week for a new Clinton fire station expected to cost between $8 million to $10 million and open by 2030.
The district’s purchase of property on Cultus Bay Road in June moved plans for a fully staffed station serving an underserved area one step closer to reality. The new station would replace two aging stations in Clinton and Maxwelton.
Early concepts presented at a board of commissioners meeting on Wednesday demonstrate how three apparatus bays and living quarters could be configured in the new station. Stations on Camano Island and in Central Kitsap inspired the concepts, Fire Chief Nick Walsh explained, rather than any actual architectural plans.
According to a concept plot plan presented at the meeting, the apparatus bay could be near 4,000 square feet in area and the living quarters about 3,600 square feet.
Responding to emergencies faster is the goal of the new station. Calls for service are increasing, as graphs presented at the meeting demonstrated, and the district aims to reduce response times from 15 to 10 minutes on average. Walsh said doing so is critical because survival rates during cardiac arrest decline rapidly without CPR, and fires become more difficult to contain as they grow.
“The purpose of this entire plan is to put more firefighters on scene faster,” Walsh said.
Besides the fact that the new station’s location is better suited for accomplishing this, the fire chief explained that code compliance issues and practicality make renovating the existing stations futile. Septic systems would need to be improved, buildings would need to be brought up to certain seismic standards and the parcels themselves are undersized.
Commissioner Mike Noblet emphasized the age of the two existing stations, and described them as being in “seismic danger.”
Over the next several years, the district plans to continue increasing staffing and modernizing equipment and engines in addition to constructing the new station.
But plenty has already been accomplished by the district since voters approved a levy lid lift in 2024, Walsh explained. That includes opening a new training structure earlier this year, newly staffing the district’s Freeland station around the clock and training personnel in wildland firefighting.
Wednesday’s meeting also included a question-and-answer session for community members to inquire about the district’s plan for the new station. Similar public engagement opportunities are scheduled for August.
